An aircraft instrument panel electronic equipment item generally comprises a connector on its rear face comprising several dozen electrical contacts. Consequently, the mounting of this connector involves both great accuracy and a certain insertion force.
Currently, there are various mechanical and electrical connection systems that make it possible to ensure this mounting of equipment in conditions of electrical and mechanical security and of resistance to the environments required for aeronautical equipment items. These systems also meet the specific requirements of mounting on an instrument panel regarding in particular the ease and speed of mounting.
A first device consists in putting in place, in the instrument panel, a fixed rack or “seat” 3 comprising the connection system suited to the connector of the equipment item. This seat also comprises mechanical translational guiding means making it possible to correctly pre-position the electronic equipment item when it is being fixed to the instrument panel. Once positioned on the instrument panel, the equipment item is generally locked by means of a fixing handle which ensures both the mechanical fixing of the equipment item and the securing of the electrical contact between the two connectors.
This connection system presents a number of drawbacks. It is done blind, the rear of the casing no longer being accessible during connection. Also, it requires the installation of significant and complex mechanical means, given the level of accuracy required and the dimensions of the casings.
A second solution consists in separately performing the electrical connection and the mechanical connection, in this case, the female connector of the instrument panel is mounted on an electrical pigtail that is sufficiently long. The connector of the equipment item is first of all fixed to this female connector. Once the electrical connection is established, the electronic equipment item is mounted in the instrument panel. The drawback with this solution is that the connection of the two connectors requires a certain force for the locking or unlocking thereof. Without outside assistance, this force is difficult to exert in as much as it is essential not to exert significant pulling force on the electrical pigtail to avoid damaging it.